Hi,

I'm not sure I'm getting how to resolve an issue using the policy of joint agreement. My wife homeschools our children. She doesn't believe in testing (unless it has something to do with their sports). I have approached her on many occasions to discuss testing or testing alternatives. She tells me that she doesn't want to test the kids academics and to leave her alone about it. I'm stuck. I agreed to let her homeschool the children but I have no way of knowing where they are. I think she believes I'm attacking her and that I'll say that she is not doing her job if the tests don't show that they are where they are supposed to be. I'm just concerned about the kids schooling.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

The way the policy of joint agreement works is, the goal is to find a solution that you are both happy with. Until that solution is found, you don't do anything - so no testing. Meanwhile, you look for an alternative that satisfies what you are looking for but is something she can be enthusiastic about.

I disagree with this, and I think you are prematurely limiting your options and preventing brainstorming:


There are so many ways to know how your children are doing without testing! You can talk with them about all kinds of subjects, you can have them write essays for you, you can get involved in teaching them yourself and helping them on their assignments and take note of where they are having trouble. I know just how my children are doing in their homeschooling and we don't have any tests.

I think if you would look for ways to get more involved in your children's education and find out where they are, your wife would probably be very enthusiastic.

One idea I've always thought was pretty good was what Arthur Robinson did with his homeschooled children - he had them write him a one page essay each morning after their math work. He could tell a lot about their progress from these essays. (Arthur Robinson is the founder and seller of the Robinson homeschool curriculum. We don't use it, but I think what he is to say is pretty useful and worth considering.)

http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/view/rc/s31p60.htm#Message133

I always thought this was a great idea!

Can you be more specific about what you think the kids might be lacking in their schooling? I suspect that your wife senses that you have an idea about what is "right" in schooling and what she "should" be doing - which is a disrespectful premise toward her to start with. That would prevent her from wanting to discuss it with her.

I looked at your previous thread - did you make progress solving the problems that you came here about last year?

What will you do if you feel the children's progress is not where you want it to be? Will you demand they be put into institutionalized schooling, or will you negotiate solutions with her?

Ehm,

I am a trained teacher and personally, I abhor the idea of testing! It is a very indepth subject, but there is a general issue that testing does not measure subject knowledge but the skills of test construction!

Might I suggest that you propose, together, some measurable goals for homeschooling subjects with frequent review, rather than "a test".

I do greatly hope things have turned around from your last thread. Right?